Today's Ramble on Reading and Writing. Part 2

Friday, February 01, 2008

Another problem I had with that erotic suspense romance mentioned about, was the overabundance of coitus interruptus. Close to the half way point in the book, and I'd still be gnashing my teeth if this hadn't been a erotic book. I know I've been guilty as a writer of the C.I.S (coitus interruptus syndrome), but really this strategy has to be handled well. Readers get tired, frustrated, resentful and they Stop Trusting You As A Writer. Which is the complete opposite of what you really wanted. You want to pull your reader in, not have their hackles, and a big emotional wall, up because they feel like they're being jerked around and manipulated. Clumsily or excessively done, and c.i.s will not be building up sexual heat/intensity. Now you have one part of the readers mind thinking 'I'll just stay back here, totally disengaged, and observe the proceedings. No need to get excited since this is just another false alarm.'

By the time the author got around to piling on the sex-fest for the rest of the book, it was too much, too late. Because now that dis-engaged part of my brain was looking not for the physical payoff, but the emotional one as well, and, well, with the emphasis on a smorgasbord of dripping, creaming, plunging, throbbing, aching, moaning, yelling, whatever... ::eyerolling:: there was precious little emotional satisfaction beyond lust.

[/Rant]

Writing....

Well, I've already mentioned the edits on my July release that dropped into my inbox a couple of days ago.

As for the current work-in-progress, I haven't downloaded the stuff off of the Quickpad yet, but I know it's not as much as I wanted. Partly because of the exhaustion thing, also because I switched to pen and paper and started doing some outlining stuff after being inspired by a pic on one of Julie's recent posts.

Lastly, Alison has started a round-robin. I signed up, and I think my chapter goes up first week of April, I think. So I have to keep up with the developments over there, not just reading for enjoyment but making notes on character/plot etc, so I can write my bit in one week, without embarrassing myself. *gulp!*


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5 comments:

raine said...

Spot-on about the "coitus interruptus syndrome", lol.

I've been guilty of it once or twice, but hopefully I've learned not to overdue. A bit like crying wolf too much.
I remember reading one erotic book that had it happen so often I simply didn't care whether the bloody characters had sex or not after a while.
Would that be "the blue ball syndrome?"

vanessa jaye said...

"Would that be "the blue ball syndrome?"

This is exactly what is it for the reader! lol.

After awhile you don't give crap whether the H/h get it on. Or you're just soo focused on it happening now, you don't even care about the rest of the story.

(And when I say 'care' I mean you just want it to happen and be over with, but you're probably reading the whole thing with a hairy eyeball).

Who wants a reader reading your lovescene with being slightly pissed off at you and your H/h because of all the fake-outs.

Amie Stuart said...

A case of the Little Sex Scene that Cried Wolf *ggg*

Ok I'll go away now.

Good luck with the round robin! It sounds like a blast!

vanessa jaye said...

the "Little Sex Scene that Cried Wolf"

lol. This sound like the title of a scene PBW would write for her blog featuring those two characters: John and Marcia. lol.

Amie Stuart said...

*howling* IT DOES!!!!!

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